Category Archives: video

Happy 2012 + free downloads!

Well, hello there!

I am very sorry for the lack of musical posts as of late. My day job (aka real job) has been overly overwhelming, then there was the holidays…but I know no one is interested in excuses.

ANYWAYS — I’m going to get back in the groove a little bit here, bear with me…

I hope everyone had a FANTASTIC holiday and are excited for what 2012 is to bring.

Here’s a little sumthin’ sumthins for being so patient with me — you’re gonna love it!

Free Download: Ducky – “Killing Time”

Ducky aka Morgan Neiman, has a producer’s instinct and a powerful voice. She has been making music since she was 13 years old and has played alongside the likes of Japanther, Ninjasonik, Roxy Cottontail, Trouble Andrew and Action Bronson. Her latest release, The Whether EP out February 21, fearlessly explores the sinister side. In this vein, Ducky recently released an introductory single “Killing Time” produced by Dingo Dog. The track is at once an ebullient Saturday afternoon love song and a subtle confession of its disintegration. Ducky matches a sophisticated pop sensibility to incisive vocals, addressing an absent “friend” with checked ferocity.

New Outasight!

Brand new song from Outasight! Listen to it above and download it for free below!

Free Download: Outasight – “Let’s Go”

New Yuksek!

Classically trained musician and electro-pop composer Yuksek (aka Pierre-Alexander Busson) is about to invade the US, bringing a flurry of swooping, dance-pop anthems guaranteed to make you hum and sway. Empowered by his previous work with artists such as Chromeo and Amanda Blank, Yuksek’s new album pushes our lovely Frenchman to the front lines, both as vocalist and leading a fierce live band. On Living On The Edge Of Time, he marries the distorted, saturated sounds of dance floor decadence for which he’s known with a more melodic and catchy, and dare we say “pop” vibe. Living On The Edge Of Time will be released January 24th on Ultra Records.

There’s always been a pop heart beating inside Yuksek’s unique brand of electronic dancefloor bangers. Always catchy hooks hidden between the acid loops, hints of glam and indie infiltrating his energized house beats. Tunes like “So Far Away From The Sea” and “Extraball” from his acclaimed debut album revealed a powerful pop sensibility, deeply rooted into a lifelong affinity to artists as David Bowie, Gary Numan and The Cure, but also a devoted love for Lou Reed circa Transformer, Serge Gainsbourg, early West Coast-rap and the Warp label. Living On The Edge Of Time is the sound of an artist who can’t ignore the muse, a restless producer constantly in motion and a musician devoted to evolution. The album opens with “Always on the Run,” a track that sets the album’s underlying tone of chaos and movement grabbing you with a transfixing vocal melody that submerges you into the album. The first single, “On a Train” is a true dance-floor anthem that builds to an explosive chorus with a skittering beat that will get stuck in your head for days. On “White Keys,” a hauntingly eerie synthesizer sets a more contemplative mood while lingering over an up-tempo beat. Lyrically referencing the album title, “The Edge” has a pulsating beat sliced by keyboards stabs eventually exploding into a synth-fueled chorus. Closing the record is the 5 minute throbbing psychedelic pop-behemoth “Out Of Control,” complete with finger snaps and a driving bass line. Continuing his journey of musical evolution Yuksek is prepared to unleash his tour de force sound, making a lasting impression on American shores.

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Highly Anticipated: Poolside

This early taste from Poolside’s debut album (due in 2012) is this gorgeous, thumping slice of anthemic disco-pop. Poolside’s Filip and Jeff filmed this video during a wilderness excursion into the legendary Red Rock landscape of Sedona, Arizona. LOVE.

 

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Newest Love: Animal Heart – “Miami”

Take a trip down to Miami with Animal Heart’s first single, the seedy yet buxom “Miami”. Animal heart is a musical mistake of good intent founded by two of the most un-extraordinary men one could ever hope to find.

|animal heart is an experiment | animal heart is electronic pop rock | animal heart is unwholesome fun | animal heart is two pink moons and a loaded gun | animal heart is diggin’ in the dirt for tips | animal heart is so much more than this…Witness!

Download: Animal Heart – “Miami” 

Download: Animal Heart – “Miami” (Hush Remix)

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New Video: The Phenomenal Handclap Band – “The Unknown Faces at Father James Park”

Phenomenal Handclap Band speaks about the video:

As a teenager, Father James Park was the local park where my friends and I were able to go and not be bothered by our parents or other authority figures. We used to meet there as often as possible to hang out and clear our minds, and since there were no adults around, it also became the place we’d go to expand our minds. The Unknown Faces at Father James Park is about the inherent peer pressure, confusion, and tumultuous times that teenagers have. For the video, we thought the best way to reflect this subject matter would be to edit together found footage along the lines of the various PSA’s  we were subjected to in high school. They were so humorless and terrifying at the time, but looking back, it was a lot of unnecessary warning against what turned out to be healthy experimentation.

Phenomenal Handclap Band is also preparing the release of the follow-up to their acclaimed, self-titled debut album. Form & Control, PHB’s ambitious new work takes their clever fusion of international psych, soul, and cosmic disco a bold step forward.  With co-founders Daniel Collás and Sean Marquand at the production helm, Form & Control finds the band once again deftly mixing and matching seemingly disparate musical genres, with a musical palette that now includes prog-pop, new wave and modern leftfield dance.

Form and Control will be released February 14, 2012 on Tummy Touch Records.

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Cotton Mathers’ “Kontiki” To Be Re-Issued!

Austin, Texas band Cotton Mather is preparing to reissue its long out-of-print landmark power pop album Kontiki on Valentine’s Day, 2012.  The album was originally released in the US in 1997 with little fanfare.  In the UK, however, Kontiki was a smash.

 With the spotlight shining on the album in their homeland, Oasis brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher discovered and fell in love with Kontiki.  The Gallaghers started talking about the record in the press themselves, helping to spur on a cult following for the album among musicians all over the globe. A fellow Austin-ite and fan from the beginning, Spoon’s Britt Daniel also began to spread the word, and over the years, the adoration of Kontiki continued to grow, leading band leader Robert Harrison to prepare Kontiki (Deluxe Edition).

 Scheduled for release on February 14th, 2012 on Harrison’s own Star Apple Kingdom label, the two-CD deluxe format will include the original album along with four-track demos, acoustic versions and songs that didn’t make the final cut. Harrision funded the reissue via a Kickstarter campaign made successful by the many fans that Kontiki created since 1997. The campaign was undoubtedly also helped by the profound endorsements and damn funny presentation captured in this promo film seen below.

Track Listing:

Disc 1:

  1. Camp Hill Rail Operator
  2. Homefront Cameo
  3. Spin My Wheels
  4. My Before and After
  5. Private Ruth
  6. Vegetable Row
  7. Aurora Bori Alice
  8. Church of Wilson
  9. Lily Dreams On
  10. Password
  11. Animal Show Drinking Song
  12. Prophecy For the Golden Age
  13. She’s Only Cool
  14. Autumn’s Birds

Disc 2:

  1. Homefront Cameo (4-Track)
  2. Pine Box Builder #1
  3. Camp Hill Rail Operator (Acoustic)
  4. Little Star
  5. Baby Freeze Queen #1
  6. Altar Boy (Live at The Hit Shack)
  7. Flying Annie’s Kite
  8. Innocent Street (Acoustic)
  9. Spin My Wheels (Electric)
  10. Church of Wilson (4-Track)
  11. Private Ruth (Acoustic)
  12. The Gold Gone Days

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Free Download: Housse de Racket – “Roman” (Alvin Risk remix)

For the first time ever, French synth-rock duo Housse de Racket will be stepping foot left of the Atlantic Ocean when they tour the United States with fellow Frenchmen, pop trio Yelle. The tour is following the release of their sophomore album, AlesiaIn honor of the tour, Housse de Racket is releasing a remix of their first single “Roman.”

De Racket, which translates in English to ‘tennis racket cover,’ are Victor Le Masne and Pierre Leroux. The two are highly sought-after musical collaborators with impressive resumes; they’ve worked with the likes of Chilly Gonzales, Phoenix, and Air. For Alesia, Housse de Racket has teamed up with French super-producer, Phillipe Zdar (Cassius, Phoenix, The Rapture) to create a collection of eleven electro-pop songs in the vein of the bands’ own wide range of musical influences; from Ennio Morricone to David Bowie. The result is a unique compilation of tracks that embody the sound Housse de Racket has made famous, both through their first album and their live show. Recorded half in French and half in English, Alesia is an evolution of sound; a bold new direction for the album.

Listen/download: Housse de Racket – “Roman” (Alvin Risk remix)

Housse De Racket Tour Dates w/ Yelle 

  • 12/04: Jacksonville, FL Jack Rabbits
  • 12/05: Atlanta, GA @ Loft
  • 12/07: Baltimore, MD @ Sonar
  • 12/08: New York, NY @ Webster Hall
  • 12/09: Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
  • 12/10: Philadelphia, PA @ Transit

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Grammy Nomination – Cut Copy

Cut Copy’s stellar Zonoscope has been nominated for the Best Dance/Electronica Album Grammy. This is the band’s first Grammy nomination and bookends a phenomenal year that saw the band play to rapturous audiences across the globe including a thundering Coachella set and headlining slot at Austin City Limits. The Grammy Awards will be held on Sunday, February 12th at Los Angeles’ Staples Center and will be televised on CBS that same day at 8 pm EST / 7 PM CST. Zonoscope is Cut Copy’s 3rd and most ambitious work yet. It was released by Modular Records this past February and was met with critical raves ranging from Rolling Stone to Pitchfork. Zonoscope is Cut Copy boiled down to their purest form, a suite of futuristic visions built upon primal rhythm tracks. It is at once their most immediate work to date but also their most sonically exquisite. “Take Me Over” perfectly encapsulates this, its chiming highlife guitars bouncing around tropical percussion reminiscent of an island holiday in a pop song. Recorded over a 6 month period in a warehouse space the band rented in Melbourne, Australia and mixed in Atlanta by Ben H. Allen (Animal Collective, Gnarls Barkley, Deerhunter), Zonoscope paints a mesmerizing picture, conjured by a band at the height of their powers.

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Grammy Nomination – Skrillex

Few have had a bigger 2011 than Skrillex. Replete with 2 EPs, the cover of SPIN Magazine, and over 300 performances on several sold-out world tours, Sonny Moore capstones an incredible year with five Grammy nominations, more than almost any other artist. The Atlantic/Big Beat artist has been exceptionally active throughout the last 12 months while simultaneously launching his own record label, OWSLA, as well. These are the 23 year-old’s first Grammy nominations, and honors  include Best New Artist (a first for an electronic musician!), Best Dance Recording and Best Dance/Electronica Album for Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites, Best Remixed Recording for his remix of Benny Benassi’s “Cinema” and Best Music Video for “First of the Year (Equinox)” which has garnered over 20 million views on Youtube.

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Grammy Nomination – Diplo

2011 is the year of the electronic musician, with the numerous accolades, features, sold out festivals and now Grammy nominations for the genre and its artists.  One of the music industry’s most recognized names and undeniably charismatic personalities, Diplo, has been nominated for his second Grammy (previously nominated for M.I.A.’s ‘Paper Planes’) as producer for Chris Brown’s three times nominated “Look At Me Now.” The Rap Song of the Year nominee infiltrated clubs and radio waves and garnered over 132 million views on YouTube, arguably one of the biggest hits of the year.
Diplo wears many hats and there will be no shortage of projects to follow in 2012.  In addition to working with everyone from pop stars, rappers and indie rockers, Diplo is gearing up for the sophomore release from Major Lazer and more world touring.  His record label, Mad Decent, and new label imprint, Jeffrees, will continue to put out some of the most exciting new artist releases, while Diplo continues to pen his online column for Vanity Fair, as well as the release of his first book with photographer Shane McCauley through Rizzoli.
Congratulations to Diplo and all his fellow Grammy nominees!

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Finally! Official Video for Avicii’s “Levels”

One year, and over 20 millions YouTube hits after it was first unleashed upon the partying public, Avicii’s ‘Levels’ has become a globally recognized score and undoubtedly the most unifying dancefloor record of 2011…but the bug is spreading further! As this mammoth single continues to soar up charts across the planet, we are finally blessed with one truly hilarious music video to match. Living up to all expectations and more, this three-minute cut of comic genius will have you splitting at the sides.
The mundane, daily grind of office-block life provides the initial setting…until that is, one melancholy employee becomes infected with the ‘Levels bug’. No prizes for guessing how the mood U-turns; as Avicii’s smash hit gets into full swing, resonating and rip-roaring over the computers and photocopiers of the humdrum workplace, the man is simply uncontrollable in his hip-thrusting, booty-shaking, table-top dancing excitement – so much so that only the Taser-gun of a security man can bring him down!
As he hits the deck and passes out, that’s when things start to get very weird…and equally funny. Awaking from a truly bizarre dream to find himself strapped to a hospital bed, the madness of the office starts all over again – the only difference being that the ‘Levels bug’ is ten times more infectious than before. Doctors, nurses and janitors beware, because nobody is safe from the contagious sounds of 22 year-old superstar Avicii!

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